Don’t turn fantastic Foden into a loan star

ANOTHER big week in the young career of Manchester City’s Phil Foden with his first start for the club against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. There has been a bit of talk about him going out on loan to further his career but I don’t see any reason why Foden (below) needs to hurry down that road. At this moment in time, where is he going to learn more — at City with Pep Guardiola nurturing him or out in the frenzy of the Championship? If he was 20 and not starting in the Premier League for City, it would d be sensible for him to go out and get games but, at this stage, he is in the best place of all, watching talents such as Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne. Some youngg lads need to get out when they are 17 — I say that as someone who has a bit of experience with loans! — but then you get special ones, such as Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, who bypass everything and end up in their senior teams straight away. Foden has brilliant potential and it should not be rushed. He is in the perfect place right now to develop.